During a one-on-one interview with Tom Hanks as part of Variety‘s “Actors on Actors," Viola Davis spoke on her sex roles in "How to Get Away with Murder."

According to the 51-year-old actress, she saw her role in the ABC series as an opportunity for a dark-skinned actress of 50 to be in a role that is sexualized, not sexy.

“I saw that role as an opportunity for something that was way bigger than doing good work. I saw it as an opportunity for a dark-skinned actress of 50 to be in a role that is sexualized, not sexy — there is a difference between sexualized and sexy,” Davis said to Hanks. “I saw it as an opportunity, a blank palate, or canvas, to put my mark on.”

Speaking on featuring in sex scenes on TV, Davis said, “If I am in a sex scene, I want to say ‘this is why I am attracted to you, this is why it has gotten to this point, this is what my body looks like."